12 Years a Slave won the best picture prize at the 86th Academy Awards Sunday, but Gravity was the big winner with seven awards, among them best director for Alfonso Cuarón. The film also took home prizes for best score, visual effects, sound mixing, sound editing, cinematography and film editing.

12 Years a Slave, going into the night with nine nominations, won three Oscars, including best adapted screenplay and best supporting actress Lupita Nyong’o.

Cuarón, accepting his prize for Gravity, called it “a transformative experience,” adding that his main transformation was his hair turning grey. He also thanked “the wise guys at Warner Brothers” before realizing what that sounded like and correcting himself: “The wise people at Warner Brothers.”

The story of an astronaut lost in low-Earth orbit went into the evening tied with American Hustle with 10 nominations apiece, although relatively few head-to-head matchups. Gravity had just one acting nomination, for Sandra Bullock, but a host of technical nods.

David O. Russell’s American Hustle, on the other hand, had nominations in every acting category for Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence. But Hustle went home empty-handed; its best chance, the best actress prize, went to Cate Blanchett for her role in Woody Allen’s Blue Jamsine.

Jared Leto was the night’s first winner for best supporting actor, later joined by Matthew McConaughey. Leto played Rayon, a transgender AIDS patient in Dallas Buyers Club, Canadian director Jean-Marc Vallée’s film about a homophobic AIDS patient (McConaughey) trying to help others with the disease in the early days of the epidemic.

Taking to the podium, Leto presented a polished, brief homage to his mother, segued into an address to “all the dreamers” in troubled Ukraine and Venezuela, then referenced the millions who have died of AIDS and wrapped up with words of encouragement “to those of you out there who have ever felt injustice because of who you are or who you love.”

It was the quintessence of an Oscar acceptance speech, and Dallas Buyers Club (up for six Oscars including best picture) ultimately won a third prize, for hair and makeup. That win robbed Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa and The Lone Ranger of their Oscar chances.

Nyong’o was also one of the more memorable recipients, winning for her supporting role in Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave. “It doesn’t escape me for one moment that so much joy in my life is due to so much pain in someone else’s,” she said tearfully, thanking Solomon Northup, the man whose memoir about being kidnapped and sold into slavery in the 1840s was the source of the film.

Spike Jonze took home the Oscar – his first – for original screenplay for Her, the story of a man who falls in love with his computer operating system. He’d previously been nominated for directing Being John Malkovich in 1999. In a weird twist, he also had a screenwriting credit on Bad Grandpa.

In the animated categories, the Disney juggernaut Frozen won for best feature – the song Let It Go also won for best original song – while the Disney front-runner Get a Horse! (which screened in theatres alongside Frozen) was beaten by a little-known French production, Mr. Hublot.

Danish director Andres Walter won the best live-action short prize for his film Helium. And Malcolm Clarke won for best short documentary for The Lady in Number 6, about 109-year-old pianist and Holocaust survivor Aliza Sommer-Herz. In a poignant moment, he told the audience that his subject had passed away just last week. He invited people to “see the film; she’ll help you live … a much happier life.”

The best documentary prize went to 20 Feet from Stardom, a surprise win to those who thought the powerful Indonesian film The Act of Killing would take the prize. Darlene Love, featured in the winning film about backup singers, belted out Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow in celebration of the win.

Best foreign-language film went to Italy’s The Great Beauty, another crowd-pleaser compared to more somber films from Denmark (The Hunt), Belgium (The Broken Circle Breakdown), Cambodia (The Missing Picture) and Palestine (Omar). Italy has a record 14 films that have won in the category, stretching back to La Strada in 1956.

The evening got off to a gentler and less raucous start with host Ellen DeGeneres taking over from Seth MacFarlane, whose most memorable moment last year was a musical number called We Saw Your Boobs. DeGeneres last hosted the Oscars in 2007. “I’m so honoured and flattered that they had me back so quickly,” she joked, a bit of irony that was all but drowned out by applause from the crowd in the Dolby Theatre.

We provided live updates, recaps and photos from the red carpet as the night unfolded. See how it all went down below:

If you are wondering why Gravity won almost everything else and 12 Years A Slave won for Best Picture, it’s likely because the voting system works differently for Best Picture. While every other category works on a “first past the post” system, Best Picture works on a “preferential ballot” system. It’s interesting to think how the rest of the Oscars would look if they used a preferential ballot.

If you are wondering why Gravity won almost everything else and 12 Years A Slave won for Best Picture, it’s likely because the voting system works differently for Best Picture. While every other category works on a “first past the post” system, Best Picture works on a “preferential ballot” system. It’s interesting to think how the rest of the Oscars would look if they used a preferential ballot.

If you are wondering why Gravity won almost everything else and 12 Years A Slave won for best picture, it’s likely because the voting system works differently for Best Picture. While every other category works on a “first past the post” system, Best Picture works on a “preferential ballot” system. It’s interesting to think how the rest of the Oscars would look if they used a preferential ballot.

All regards to Sandra Bullock’s performance, the directing was the strongest part in Gravity. It shows Cuaron’s increasing confidence to do really powerful continuous long takes that started with his two amazing long takes in Children of Men. Gravity more than any other film this year felt like it was forging forward and trying something that hadn’t been done before in film, even if the story was relatively simple and somewhat predictable.

It is surprising, however, that 12 Years A Slave didn’t win this, as it was a very easy script to mess up. It might have been that many voters felt annoyed that they felt like they were being bullied into voting for it. That’s a shame if true.

All regards to Sandra Bullock’s performance, the directing was the strongest part in Gravity. It shows Cuaron’s increasing confidence to do really powerful continuous long takes that started with his two amazing long takes in Children of Men. Gravity more than any other film this year felt like it was forging forward and trying something that hadn’t been done before in film, even if the story was relatively simple and somewhat predictable.

It is surprising, however, that 12 Years A Slave didn’t win this, as it was a very easy script to mess up. It might have been that many voters felt annoyed that they felt like they were being bullied into voting for it. That’s a shame if true.

All regards to Sandra Bullock’s performance, the directing was the strongest part in Gravity. It shows Cuaron’s increasing confidence to do really powerful continuous long takes that started with his two amazing long takes in Children of Men. Gravity more than any other film this year felt like it was forging forward and trying something that hadn’t been done before in film, even if the story was relatively simple and somewhat predictable.

It is surprising that 12 Years A Slave didn’t win this. It might have been that many voters felt annoyed that they felt like they were being bullied into voting for it. That’s a shame if true.

All regards to Sandra Bullock’s performance, the directing was the strongest part in Gravity. It shows Cuaron’s increasing confidence to do really powerful continuous long takes that started with his two amazing long takes in <i>Children of Men</i>. <i>Gravity</i> more than any other film this year felt like it was forging forward and trying something that hadn’t been done before in film, even if the story was relatively simple and somewhat predictable.

It is surprising that 12 Years A Slave didn’t win this. It might have been that many voters felt annoyed that they felt like they were being bullied into voting for it. That’s a shame if true.

The score was practically a character in Gravity. When you only have one person on screen the score has to do so much of the work setting the tone of what’s going on. (What was going on in Gravity was terror.)

The sweetest moment of the 2014 Oscars? I mean, we’re sure the tabloids will find SOME way to tarnish this, too, but sometimes it’s just fun enjoying these people showing us their real selves, no? #yeahsuremaybe

Now we start the annual death montage where we get to see which dead person gets the most applause and which dead person is inexplicably missed. As was noted before, Harold Ramis will not be in the montage because he died so recently.

The great Alain Resnais died this weekend, at 91. If they didn’t have time to edit crowd-pleasing, box office gold Harold Ramis in, definitely don’t expect to see mystifying cultural New Wave icon in there.

Now we start the annual death montage where we get to see which dead person gets the most applause and which dead person is inexplicably missed. As was noted before, Harold Ramis will not be in the montage because he died so recently.

Now we start the annual death montage where we get to see which dead person gets the most applause and which dead person is inexplicably missed. As was noted before, Harold Ramis will not be in the montage because he died so recently.

The Oscars start a montage about “heroes” with the speech by Jor-El in Man of Steel, a movie that didn’t get nominated for anything this year (including the visual effects award it probably had a chance of winning).

The Oscars start a montage about “heroes” with the speech by Jor-El in Man of Steel, a movie that didn’t get nominated for anything this year (including the visual effects award it probably had a chance of winning).

The Oscars start a montage about “heroes” with the speech by Jor-El in Man of Steel, a movie that didn’t get nominated for anything this year, including the visual effects award it probably had a chance of winning.

According to some reports, the Ellen tweet has passed 800,000 retweets, making it more retweeted than Obama’s re-election tweet. (It isn’t showing up that way for me, but Twitter has been having some issues tonight.)

Presumably this PIZZA DUDE went through the two-week security vetting process that a certain mayor of a certain Canadian city didn’t have time to, um, get through. Pizza. It’s the great common denominator of North America… gotta figure this produces a bit of a late-night rush for Dominos…

Samuel L. Jackson and Matthew McConaughey sharing a friendly moment. Jackson seems to be whispering sweet nothings: Unfortunately for McConaughey, those nothings are probably along the lines of “f— you mother f—er.” (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)

On my wish list for Her’s DVD release, I’d really like to hear the original voice work that Samantha Morton performed, on set, opposite Joaquin Phoenix. Before Spike Jonze brought Scarlett Johannson in post-production to redo it. Phoenix, we gather, didn’t do much if any performing opposite ScarJo. Very much in keeping with the disembodied, dehumanized tech being explored in the film.

La Grande Bellezza! The Hunt is harrowing and intense in its own way but The Great Beauty is Dante and poetry and so much more than just the Fellini homage (some dark, grim Pasolini in there, too). Glad director Paolo Sorrentino didn’t pull a Roberto Benigni. p.s. It’s opening wider across Canada every passing week, still, and is one of those best seen on a large screen.

Still thinking about Ellen DeGeneres’s Oscars monologue as much as we are? We thought it was better than that wander she took through the crowd. Pizza jokes? Is Tina Fey writing jokes for Ellen? The choicest bits of Ellen’s monologue: here.

Kevin Spacey made mention that Angelina Jolie had won an award, and then the camera did not pan over to her. In fact, they haven’t shown her on camera live at all tonight as far as I can tell, which is kind of strange.

Still thinking about Ellen DeGeneres’s Oscars monologue as much as we are? We thought it was better than that wander she took through the crowd. Pizza jokes? Is Tina Fey writing jokes for Ellen? The choicest bits of Ellen’s monologue: .

Still thinking about Ellen DeGeneres’s Oscars monologue as much as we are? We thought it was better than that wander she took through the crowd. Pizza jokes? Is Tina Fey writing jokes for Ellen? The choicest bits of Ellen’s monologue: here.

Kevin Spacey made mention that Angelina Jolie had won an award, and then the camera did not pan over to her. In fact, they haven’t shown her on camera live at all tonight as far as I can tell, which is kind of strange.

Cutie and the Boxer was such a sweet documentary – as much about the long-suffering, illustrator wife of an eccentric, self-centered rather middling artist as about his work. And The Act of Killing is a documentary everyone should see – but it’s incredibly difficult to watch. It is justice that via the Oscar win, singers like Darlene Love (the powerhouse who sang the real voices behind so many Phil Spector girl group hits) are front and centre.

Two’s a trend: Karen O. – who has changed out of her slinky black 1930s-style red carpet gown – takes to the stage to sing a cappella version of the Moon Song theme from “Her” in a vermillion gown, its fabric pooling and fanning out all around her and down the steps. And usually it’s three’s a trend but since this is the Oscars, maybe it counts twice: like Emma Thompson before her at the Golden Globes, O. ditched the towering heels to go barefoot on stage. Couldn’t quite tell but I think perhaps designer Louboutin is once again the culprit?

The visual effects Oscar is sort of a strange one this year. Man of Steel really should have been nominated but it wasn’t. I mean, they nominated Transformers for goodness sake. In the end, Gravity deserved it — so it doesn’t really matter — but still a strange snub.

The visual effects Oscar is sort of a strange one this year. Man of Steel really should have been nominated but it wasn’t. I mean, they nominated Transformers for goodness sake. In the end, Gravity deserved it — so it doesn’t really matter — but still a strange snub.

The visual effects Oscar is sort of a strange one this year. Man of Steel really should have been nominated but it wasn’t. I mean, they nominated Transformers for goodness sake. In the end, Gravity deserved it, so it doesn’t really matter, but still a strange snub.

The visual effects Oscar is sort of a strange one this year. Man of Steel really should have been nominated but it wasn’t. I mean, the nominated Transformers for goodness sake. In the end, Gravity deserved it, so it doesn’t really matter, but still a strange snub.

Let’s be honest, Kim Novak seemed pretty lit while presenting those animated film awards. Or something was up with her. Kind of unclear. Lots of speculation online about what was wrong with her up there.

Let’s be honest, Kim Novak seemed pretty lit while presenting those animated film awards. Or something was up with her. Kind of unclear. Lots of speculation online about what was wrong with her up there.

Surprising no one, Catherine Martin wins for The Great Gatsby. She’s just won the BAFTA, too. This is her third Oscar. “I do have a few words tucked into my bra – it’s a very Australian thing to do. It’s where you put tissues.”

So often, however, the Academy awards not the project itself (not that Gatsby wasn’t ambitious!) but the career arc or long-overdue subject rather than the project, so I was half-hoping to hear William Chang’s name – in his first ever Oscar nomination, for The Grandmaster. Chang is a longtime collaborator – costume design, art direction AND editing – on all Wong Kar-Wai’s films, including the indelible In the Mood for Love. And he wasn’t even nominated for costume design for that one! Oh well.

Has Vivienne Westwood had an IPO? If so, has Pharrell bought stock? His performance of “Happy” is in a black version of the zip bomber jacket he wore at the Grammys and a black felted version of That Hat, the Westwood buffalo hat that made so many headlines. Also wondering if he will go back to his seat in his first outfit of the night, the Little Lord Fauntleroy short pants. So many questions.

PSST… Jared Leto… Albert Brooks has a message for you. It’s about … world affairs. And Hollywood political pandering. But we all liked the part about your mom, just, um, lay off the whole world being part of your big win. Dear everyone else: this goes double for you.

The great thing about Hollywood is the hey actually think Ukraine is watching the Oscars

Has Vivienne Westwood had an IPO? If so, has Pharrell bought stock? His performance of “Happy” is in a black version of the zip bomber jacket he wore at the Grammys and a black felted version of That Hat, the Westwood buffalo hat that made so many headlines. Also wondering if he will go back to his seat in his first outfit of the night, the Little Lord Fauntleroy short pants. So many questions.

Only (Toronto’s own) Jim Carrey could pull off making an LSD joke while presenting one of the Oscar nominees for best animated feature. Hey, Toronto’s allowed to have a few proud moments among the, er, other ones, right?

Only (Toronto’s own) Jim Carrey could pull off making an LSD joke while presenting one of the Oscar nominees for best animated feature. Hey, Toronto’s allowed to have a few proud moments among the, er, other ones, right?

Jared Leto uses Oscars acceptance speech to give a shout out to his real job: singer in 30 Seconds to Mars. He’s been a pretty successful actor for a fairly long time now, but that band always seems to be his priority. It’s a great mystery — they’re middle of the road at best.

Jared Leto’s speech starts by thanking his mother and his brother (while dropping a reference to his band 30 Seconds To Mars). Leto also became the first celebrity to mention the ongoing unrest in Venezuela and Ukraine.

Meryl has been nominated for an Oscar a total of 18 times. It sounds good, but if you do the math, between dresses, hair and makeup, that’s hundreds of thousands of dollars. Simply put, Meryl cannot afford to be nominated again.

Photographic evidence, people, that Toronto mayor Rob Ford isn’t arm in arm with his new Los Angeles media pal, Jimmy Kimmel. Although … it does appear that he’s miming stroking the embattled politician on the back: “Don’t worry, Rob, the big bag Canadian media can’t get you here…” But one does imagine they’ll meet back up after the big show for the Kimmel post-Oscars blow out. Shots and all. We know they won’t get down to the hard work of filming an episode of late night TV for the ages till tomorrow.

Photographic evidence, people, that Toronto mayor Rob Ford isn’t arm in arm with his new Los Angeles media pal, Jimmy Kimmel. Although … it does appear that he’s miming stroking the embattled politician on the back: “Don’t worry, Rob, the big bag Canadian media can’t get you here…” But one does imagine they’ll meet back up after the big show for the Kimmel post-Oscars blow out. Shots and all. We know they won’t get down to the hard work of filming an episode of late night TV for the ages till tomorrow.

Will Smith is the second celebrity (the other was Jamie Foxx) to sort of compare the Oscars to something akin to a high-school reunion where you catch up with a bunch of people you haven’t seen in a while.

Nope, it looks like Jimmy Kimmel is just making sure that everyone a home knows that they will never be has pretty or successful as the chosen people AKA the celebrities in a very awkward skit where he taunted people tweeting about the red carpet.

Nope, it looks like Jimmy Kimmel is just making sure that everyone a home knows that they will never be has pretty or successful as the chosen people AKA the celebrities in a very awkward skit where he taunted people tweeting about the red carpet.

Nope, it looks like Jimmy Kimmel is just making sure that everyone a home knows that they will never be has pretty or successful as the chosen people AKA the celebrities in a very awkward skit where he taunted people tweeting about the red carpet.

Nope, it looks like Jimmy Kimmel is just making sure that everyone a home knows that they will never be has pretty or successful as the chosen people AKA the celebrities with a very awkward skit where he taunted tweeting about the red carpet.

Nope, it looks like Jimmy Kimmel is just making sure that everyone a home knows that they will never be has pretty or successful as the chosen people AKA the celebrities with a very awkward skit where he taunted viewers tweeting about the red carpet.

Nope, it looks like Jimmy Kimmel is just making sure that everyone a home knows that they will never be has pretty or successful as the chosen people AKA the celebrities with a very awkward skit where he taunted viewers tweeting about the red carpet.

Nope, it looks like Jimmy Kimmel is just making sure that everyone a home knows that they will never be has pretty or successful as the chosen people AKA the celebrities with a very awkward skit where he taunted viewers tweeting about the red carpet.

Nope, it looks like Jimmy Kimmel is just making sure that everyone a home knows that they will never be has pretty or successful as the chosen people AKA the celebrities in a very awkward skit where he taunted people tweeting about the red carpet.

Remember when the Oscars used to start at 8pm? And finish the same day? Yeah, those days are long over. And Buzzfeed taunts us, with a countdown to, as we called it famously in the Post a few years back “A Slow Ceremony for Gold Men” w/ apologies to the Coen brothers, who we think deserved to be here. Ahem.

Remember when the Oscars used to start at 8pm? And finish the same day? Yeah, those days are long over. And Buzzfeed taunts us, with a countdown to, as we called it famously in the Post a few years back “A Slow Ceremony for Gold Men” w/ apologies to the Coen brothers, who we think deserved to be here. Ahem.

Destined, without a doubt, to play second fiddle to Jennifer Lawrence’s faceplant … but a worthy Oscars 2014 red carpet gif, nonetheless, especially if you fancy a bit of Benedict with your cup of Academy Awards cheer…

An astute observation of the 2014 Oscars red carpet demographics this year, via the National Post’s chief film critic, who’ll be chiming in all night with commentary on the winners (and losers) at this year’s Academy Awards…

Jamie Foxx is now explaining that his favorite part of the Oscars is that he’s now really close friend with a bunch of famous celebrities. I think that would be my favorite part of going to the Oscars too.

Charlize Theron in body-hugging, tiered and sheer black chiffon with a train. The dramatically sculpted peaked bodice of the dress has the feeling of that Thierry Mugler motorcycle handlebar dress, late 1980s, that was in the Met Costume Institute exhibition a few years ago. You can’t quite see the detail in this photo but the shoulder straps are illusion netting, to further the pronged effect.

The trick with why Jennifer Lawrence is so good at these red carpet and and BS interview sessions is because she simultaneously plays ball with the interviewers while also sort of giving a wink to the audience members who think the whole thing is a bit of a joke. JLaw works for everyone.

Matthew McConaughey, pretends not to know what a “selfie” is … has scheduled a post-Oscars press conference to explain that, no, he’s not a Hollywood actor and is actually an alien lifeform from the planet Buffzorp where no one ever wears shirts if they don’t have to.

Ezra Koenig, lead singer of Vampire Weekend, making sure everyone knows that even you, too, could be a Vampire Weekend fan, if only you could get out to that small hipster flea market in Brooklyn and find some nicer shoes. Jason Merritt/Getty Images.

Ezra Koenig, lead singer of Vampire Weekend, making sure everyone knows that even you, too, could be a Vampire Weekend fan, if only you could get out to that small hipster flea market in Brooklyn and find some nicer shoes. Jason Merritt/Getty Images.

Ezra Koenig, lead singer of Vampire Weekend, making sure everyone knows that even you, too, could be a Vampire Weekend fan, if only you could get out to that small hipster flea market in Brooklyn and find some nicer shoes. Jason Merritt/Getty Images.

The recent tag line for the 12 Years a Slave Oscar campaign is “It’s time.” Just in case it’s the movie’s time for Best Picture, Sydney Poitier is in attendance. His daughter Sydney’s simple but memorable silver lamé dress is the sort of thing Lupita Nyong’o has been wearing on the red carpet this season.

Sidney Poitier, left, and his daughter Sydney Tamiia Poitier arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

From the “Fashion Turn” to the “Mani Cam” to stumping for Crest White Strips to … Ryan Seacrest’s unbranded colour contacts, it’s hard not to feel like I’m at a department store of the future in Her, and not quite the Oscars red carpet. What next? Are we going to hear about George Clooney’s mouthwash?

When Matt Parker and Trey Stone went to the Oscars in 2000 (Parker was nominated for the song “Blame Canada” from South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut), they made a memorable appearance because they showed up in drag. Less well known is the fact that they dropped acid right before stepping out in front of the TV cameras.

The pair recounted the experience in the documentary about their process 6 Days To Air.

Whether or not Gravity wins the 2014 Oscar for best picture, it will go down as the year’s most scientifically contentious film. After Neil de Grasse Tyson decried the film for its inaccuracies (and then backtracked somewhat), our own Chris Knight asked a few astronauts how they felt about the Sandra Bullock-George Clooney picture. The verdict: They did get a lot wrong. Especially, according to Chris Hadfield, Sandra Bullock’s underpants.

When Matt Parker and Trey Stone went to the Oscars in 2000 (Parker was nominated for the song “Blame Canada” from South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut), they made a memorable appearance because they showed up in drag. Less well known is the fact that they dropped acid right before stepping out in front of the TV cameras.

The pair recounted the experience in the documentary about their process 6 Days To Air.

When Matt Parker and Trey Stone went to the Oscars in 2000 (Parker was nominated for the song “Blame Canada” from South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut), they made a memorable appearance because they showed up in drag. Less well known is the fact that they dropped acid right before stepping out in front of the TV cameras.

The pair recounted the experience in the documentary about their process 6 Days To Air.

Whether or not Gravity wins the 2014 Oscar for best picture, it will go down as the year’s most scientifically contentious film. After Neil de Grasse Tyson decried the film for its inaccuracies (and then backtracked somewhat), our own Chris Knight asked a few astronauts how they felt about the Sandra Bullock-George Clooney picture. The verdict: They did get a lot wrong. Especially, according to Chris Hadfield, Sandra Bullock’s underpants.

Whether or not Gravity wins the 2014 Oscar for best picture, it will go down as the year’s most scientifically contentious film. After Neil de Grasse tyson decried the film for its inaccuracies (and then backtracked somewhat), our own Chris Knight asked a few astronauts how they felt about the Sandra Bullock-George Clooney picture. The verdict: They did get a lot wrong. Especially, according to Chris Hadfield, Sandra Bullock’s underpants.

Whether or not Gravity wins this year’s Oscar for best picture, it will go down as the year’s most scientifically contentious film. After Neil de Grasse tyson decried the film for its inaccuracies (and then backtracked somewhat), our own Chris Knight asked a few astronauts how they felt about the Sandra Bullock-George Clooney picture. The verdict: They did get a lot wrong. Especially, according to Chris Hadfield, Sandra Bullock’s underpants.

Nebraska best actor nominee Bruce Dern is on the red carpet with his daughter Laura Dern. Fun fact about Laura Dern: When she played Dr. Ellie Sattler in 1993’s Jurassic Park she was just 26 compared to her costar Sam Neil who was 45.

When Matt Parker and Trey Stone went to the Oscars in 2000 (Parker was nominated for the song “Blame Canada” from South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut), they made a memorable appearance because they showed up in drag. Less well known is the fact that they dropped acid right before stepping out in front of the TV cameras.

The pair recounted the experience in the documentary about their process 6 Days To Air.

When Matt Parker and Trey Stone went to the Oscars in 2000 (Parker was nominated for the song “Blame Canada” from South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut), they made a memorable appearance because they showed up in drag. Less well known is the fact that they dropped acid right before stepping out in front of the TV cameras.

The pair recounted the experience in the documentary about their process 6 Days To Air.

Nebraska best actor nominee Bruce Dern is on the red carpet with his daughter Laura Dern. Fun fact about Laura Dern: When she played Dr. Ellie Sattler in 1993’s Jurassic Park she was just 26 compared to her costar Sam Neil who was 45.

When Matt Parker and Trey Stone went to the Oscars in 2000 (Parker was nominated for the song “Blame Canada” from South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut), they made a memorable appearance because they showed up in drag. Less well known is the fact that they dropped acid right before stepping out in front of the TV cameras.

The pair recounted the experience in the documentary about their process 6 Days To Air

When Matt Parker and Trey Stone went to the Oscars in 2000 (Parker was nominated for the song “Blame Canada” from South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut), they made a memorable appearance because they showed up in drag. Less well known is the fact that they dropped acid right before stepping out in front of the TV cameras.

The pair recounted the experience in the documentary about their process 6 Days To Air.

12 Years a Slave actress Lupita Nyong’o arrives on the Oscars red carpet in a custom Prada gown – in a blue that she told Ryan Seacrest reminds her of Nairobi – at the 2013 Academy Awards. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/The Associated Press)

Amy Adams arrives on the 2014 Oscars red carpet looking like every bit a best actress nominee in this bedevilling Gucci gown. We’ll be keeping an eye on her smiling face all night… and fully expect she could be the one walking across the stage for a statuette. Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images

Amy Adams arrives on the 2014 Oscars red carpet looking like every bit a best actress nominee in this bedevilling Gucci gown. We’ll be keeping an eye on her smiling face all night… and fully expect she could be the one walking across the stage for a statuette. Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images

Amy Adams arrives on the 2014 Oscars red carpet looking like every bit a best actress nominee in this bedevilling Gucci gown. We’ll be keeping an eye on her smiling face all night… and fully expect she could be the one walking across the stage for a statuette. Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images

So… every time the E! network disclaimer comes on about how “anything could happen” and warning us all about the possible swearing, wardrobe malfunctions and, um, municipal politicians who might crash the red carpet … I keep hearing Ellie Goulding’s hit single in my head. Anyone else?

So… every time the E! network disclaimer comes on about how “anything could happen” and warning us all about the possible swearing, wardrobe malfunctions and, um, municipal politicians who might crash the red carpet … I keep hearing Ellie Goulding’s hit single in my head. Anyone else?

Joseph Gordon Levitt let us know he’s en route to the red carpet for the 2014 Oscars… Thank God for social media so that there’s just never a moment during Oscars night that we can’t be WITH THE STARS.

The gang from The Hunt, Denmark’s Best Foreign Film contender have arrived. Including Mads Mikkelsen, who spends a lot of his time in Toronto filming Hannibal. That category, with The Great Beauty from Italy that did so well at Cannes (runner up to Blue is the Warmest Color for the Palme d’Or), is an interesting race.

One thing to note about today’s red carpet ceremonies is that it is rainy in LA today. Like, really, really rainy. Enough rain that forecasters are afraid of massive mudslides in California. So the celebrity banter may be slightly abbreviated.

One thing to note about today’s red carpet ceremonies is that it is rainy in LA today. Like, really, really rainy. Enough rain that forecasters are afraid of massive mudslides in California. So the celebrity banter may be slightly abbreviated.